Eyeglasses.



No; 628,930. Patented July l8, I899.

- E. r. nwoon.

EYEGLASSES.

(Application filed Oct. 18, 189B.)

FFlWCEQ EDWIN F. ELW'OOD, OF WEST SUPERI OR, WISCONSIN.

EYEGLASSES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 628,930, dated July 18,1899.

' Application filed October 18, 1398. Serial No. 693,906. (No model.)

I To all whom, it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, EDWIN F. ELwooin, a citizen of the United States,residing at Vest Superior, in the county of Douglas and State oflVisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inEyeglasses; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in nose pieces or clamps foreyeglasses; and it consists in certain novel features of constructionand combination of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described andclaimed.

The object of the invention is to provide a nose-piece which is simpleand inexpensive in construction, effective in operation, capable ofbeing easilyfitted to any regular or peculiar form of nose, and designedtobe worn without injury or discomfort.

A further object is to provide a pivoted nose-piece which may be foldedinward substantially in the plane of the frame, so that the eyeglassesmay be inclosed in a case of ordinary construction, and also to providea simple and effective form of spring for normally holding thenose-piece in operative position.

In the drawings hereto annexed and forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pair of eyeglasses embodying myinvention.' Fig.2 is a cross-section through the bridge-piece thereof,showing in full and broken lines the normal and folded positions of thenose-piece. Fig. 3 is a side View looking toward the bridge-piece, theadjoining lensframe being removed. Fig. 4C is a detail perspective viewof the nosepiece and a portion of the bridge on an enlarged scale. Fig.5 is a View similar to Fig. 3, showing a slight modification in theconstruction.

Referring now more particularly to r the drawings wherein like lettersof reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,A represents a frame of the usual or any approved construction,consisting of the lens-frame B, the spring'bow or bridge-piece O, andthe clamping-posts d, con-- necting said parts. The extensions 0 of thebridge-piece project below the clamping-posts and are curved outwardlyor in reverse directions toward the lens-frames in the usual manner.These extensions may form part of the bridge-piece, as shown in thepresent instance, or may consist of independent arms secured to theposts.

Each nose-piece comprises in its construction a guard or clamping plate0, arranged on the inner side of the depending extension of thebridge-piece and having a straight lower arm or portion 6, pivotallyconnected therewith by a pin or stud-f. The lower end of this arm isbent up to form a keeper loop or socket c and on the front edge of theupper portion of said arm is a right-angular stop 6 which is adapted toabut against the bridge and limit the outward or rearward movement ofthenose-piece. The upper arm c of the guard or clamping plate isconnected with the lower arm by an intermediate bend or offset 6 whichprojects the two arms in two different parallel vertical planes, onenormally lying within the line of the frame,while the other extends ashort distance in rear of the same. Applied to the upper end of the arme is a pad of suitable construction, the said end being preferablyenlarged and dished to form a seat or bearing for a fly-foot orcup-shaped pad f, adapted to bear against the side of the nose and to beretained in position against slipping by suction. When the nose-piecesare in their normal positions, as shown in full lines in all thefigures, they project a short distance in rear of the frame and areadapted to support the eyeglasses in an easy and comfortable manner uponthe nose, the necessary pressure being exerted by the resilient actionof the bridge-piece. When the eyeglasses are not in use, however, thenose-pieces may be folded inward, so that the upper arms of theclamping-plates thereof will lie within the plane of the frame, as.

shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and so that the glasses will not occupyany more room than an ordinary pair of glasses in which the nose-piecesare applied directly to the bridge and maybe inclosed in a case of theform intended for the latter.

Ordinarily special cases must be made for eyeglasses of this characterinwhich the nosepieces project beyond the frame; but by arranging thenose-pieces to fold in the manner IOO described I am enabled to providea pair of eyeglasses which may be convenlently placed in cases ofordinary construction.

Each nose-piece is normally held projected by a spring g, preferablymade of thin spring- Wire. This springis bent at its upper end to form ahook g, which engages the clampingpost d and is provided near its lowerend with a spring-coil g and has said lower end bent at rightanglesthereto and looselyfitted in the loop or socket c of theclamping-plate. By this manner of mounting the springs a broken springmay be readily removed and a new spring quickly substituted therefor. Asbefore stated, these springs normally force the clamping-plates outwardly,and this move ment of the plates is limited by the stops athereon, thus retaining the same always in their proper relativeposition.

In the embodiment of the invention disclosed in Fig. 5 the constructionis modified to a slight extent by employing a straight clamping-plate eand offsetting the extension of the bridge-piece, as at C to projectsaid plate rearwardly. The coil g at the lower end of the spring is alsodispensed with in this construction.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that my inventionprovides a nose-piece which is simple and inexpensive in construction,easily fitted to the nose, and adapted to be worn without injury orinconvenience to the wearer.

An important advantage attained by my construction is that thenose-pieces may be forced inward, when the glasses are inserted in thecase, by the pressure of the thumb or fingers on the sides of the caseand will be held in such position, when the glasses are fully inserted,by said sides, and when the glasses are withdrawn for use thenose-pieces are automatically projected in position to be placed uponthe nose of the wearer, no preliminary adjustment thereof beingrequired.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. Innose-pieces for eyeglasses, the combination, with a bridge extension, ofa nose piece pivoted thereto at one end to fold substantially in theplane of the frame of the glasses, and a spring independent of both thesaid extension and nose-piece for automatically projecting the free endof the latter beyond the plane of the frame.

2. In nose-pieces for eyeglasses, the combination with a bridgeextension and its clamping-post, of a nose-piece comprising a platepivoted adjacent to its lower end to the extension to fold substantiallyin the plane of the frame of the glasses and having saidlower endprojecting below the extension and formed with a socket, and adetachable spring for automatically projectingthe upper free end of\thenose-piece beyond the plane of the frame, said spring being providedwith a hook at its upper end to engage the post and having its lower endbent at a right angle and fitted in said socket.- I

3. In nose-pieces for eyeglasses, the combination of 'a bridgeextension, a nose-piece pivoted at its lower end thereto, one of saidparts being offset centrally so that the lower portion of the nose-piecestands normally in the plane of the lower portion of the extension Whilethe upper free end thereof projects outwardly beyond the plane of saidextension, a stop on the nose-piece to abut against the extension andlimit the outward movement of the nose-piece, and a spring for normallyholding the nose-piece projected in the position stated, substantiallyas described.

4. A folding nose-piece for eyeglasses, consisting of a clamping-platepivoted near its lower end to the bridge-piece and having its upper endarranged at an angle thereto and carrying a pad, a stop to limit theoutward movement of the plate, and a spring secured at its upper end tothe clamping-post and at its lower end to the plate and providedadjacent to the last with a coil, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWIN F. ELIVOOD.

Witnesses: W. M. GRAHAM, N. S. SYKES.

